Agriculture Weather for next week.

Good news La Nina is starting to break up over the pacific. We should be moving out of the drought and back into our normal weather pattern. I finished 2010 8" below normal and I believe we are 4" below normal for the 2011. That is a lot of moisture missing for our environment.

USDA Honey Report for March

The USDA Honey Report for March was released yesterday. The Beekeepers here in Northeastern Oklahoma were concerned about the dryness preventing a nectar flow. I hope the rain we got Thursday will boost the Black Locust flow. A lot of Beekeepers are expecting swarming this weekend. If you see a swarm you can call me.

Mistaken Identity

Bill and I were out walking the Dog last week when we noticed what looked like a very large Bumble Bee eating nectar from the neighbor's Phlox. I was surprised because I have never seen a bee that large. After a few moments of observation, we came to the conclusion that it was actually a Hummingbird. But I was still surprised because I have never seen a Hummingbird that small. For the next several evenings we continues to see these creatures on different neighbor's phlox through out the neighborhood, and it made us curious to find out just what they are.

Bill started looking at all the Hummingbird species and could not find one that matched the marking of what we were seeing. He asked our neighbor who is a bird expert about these hummingbirds and she could not tell us what they are, but did tell us that it was probably a migratory species just passing through.

I was sitting at the computer last night and I started googling different terms and much to my surprise there was a picture of one of these mysterious creatures. Turns out it is actually a moth.



Here is the Hummingbird Imposters article from the Missouri Department of Conservation. Seems they are a species of The Hawk Moth which include the larvae of the Tomato Horn Worm.



I am posting a picture of a Horn Worm with parasitic wasp eggs on it, with the hope of illustrating how important it is to think about what kind of pesticides we use around our garden. I like to be treatment free, in the Beehive as well as the garden. It is important to remember that what we use to kill the worms will also kill any predators that may need that worms to exist. Even though BT is promoted as harmless to Humans and other creatures, there is harm in using it. Not only to the wasp who need the worms to reproduce and will do a very good job controlling your worms but also the Bat who loves to eat Hawk Moths as well as Mosquitoes.



So think about the bigger picture before you run to the store and purchase those so called harmless crop protection chemicals. With a little research you will find that some creature out there will gladly solve your problem for free. You just need to find out which ones and how to make them feel at home in your garden.

New look for our resurrection

With Easter and spring comes re-birth. Which is what is blog needs. Thank up Okie Dragon for posting the few contributions and keeping an appearance of life.

Millions Invested - Story at 11

Smiles - imagine you have containers of seeds tucked away for the next season. Imagine you had to pull them out of the freezer since a door was left open and thing melted. Cardboard boxes were eliminated and plastic container are now filled with seeds - seeds that you bought on sale, or rare seeds that cost outrageous amounts. And they need to be assessed and written down and put in order. I have 8 containers of vegetable seeds - greenbeans fill one container alone. Two bags of mixed butterfly and hummingbird seeds that will cover 1000 feet in another - small tiny plastic zip bags have 5-7 seeds of some Siberian tomato and sandwich bags full of cilantro seed - aka coriander. I bought a pound of that stuff - it was cheap.


Greenhouse is zinging along - perennials being transplanted - basil popping up faster than usual with the warm weather - moon time has passed but the seeds were delayed due to snows. Now it gets so hot we can't stand the heat - 100 degree swings in temperature. Dad always said only fools and foreigners tried to predict our weather but today they are pretty good. But the swings - the bushes are budding. The daffodils are coming up and the naked ladies have 10 inches of growth - it came up under the snows.

I wish I could calculate the value of all my seeds - I must have 40 varieties of gourds, cut back on tomatoes, but went crazy on eggplant. I want to plant out but I know without a doubt there is going to be another hard hit - it's Oklahoma afterall.

Three tomato seedlings came up in the lemon grass that was dug in the fall, and I rescued them - now there are tomatoes setting fruit - and the plants are reaching 3 feet up. I usually don't waste the space on such extravagances - but just cutting off a leaf and smelling it is almost worth the time and effort.

I won't be selling all summer at markets - the farm will contain my product - customers can come out with me gone, find a bit of change or leave me a check - and bag your own. I'm still working over the seed selections - wondering if I am going to have to make another trip to OK City for more pots - it's coming - it's not going to be the same - I think it will be worse - the weather is stronger, weirder, different. Hang on - we are in for a wild ride.

January - Seed Catalogs and Orders

Nothing here since August - or did I read that wrong. It is really hard to find time to think of something interesting - so is anyone reading this. If I don't get a yeah or somethig - I won't see a need.

What a welcome break

Been too long since I posted a note here - been busy with heat - watering - mowing - watering, marketing, mom broke her toe - doctors' visits.

Picked almost every pear before this storm hit - - figured I best get then off the tree and salvage the best - didn't want them hitting earth with a thud. David had to stand on the top rungs and I played catcher - for the top pears - I have plenty. come and get some.

The market rained out - we worried and almost lost tents - mine got stuck - soaked and didn't sell a thing. God keeps telling me it is time to quit - doh!

That's about it - bee grant turned in very late - ticks, heat, broken hoses - running out of steam. God let it freeze.